Multiple purpose nozzle



man a--1 A ril 7, 1959 O. L. ALLEN MULTIPLE PURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Aug.20, 1954 INVENTOR United States Patent 2,880,447 MULTIPLE PURPOSE NOZZLEOliver L. Allen, Riverside, 'Conn.,

Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., Delaware Application August 20, 1954,Serial No. 451,114 2 Claims. (61.15-417) a corporation of ber 180 aroundthe conduit, such rotation at the same,

time shifting a valve so as to connect the proper nozzle to the sourceof suction. However, such an arrangement imposes a limitation on theminimum height of the tool, inasmuch as such height the diameter of thesmallest suction conduit which is capable of transmitting the desiredair flow. Especially in a combination tool for use on the floor, it isadvantageous to have the overall height of thetool as small as possiblein order that it may be used under low furniture and it is one of theobjects of my invention to provide a combination rug nozzle and floorbrush having such minimum height.

In accordance with my invention this is accomplished by using a suctionconduit having a noncircular crosssection with the minor axis thereofextending in a vertical direction. This of course makes it impossible tohave the cleaning tool rotatably mounted on the suction conduit, and inorder to turn rotatably connected to another suction conduit, preferablyin the form of an elbow, and the suction conduit is slidable withrespect to the tool so as to provide a valve arrangement for connectingthe proper nozzle to the source of suction.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings which form a part of this application and of which;

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of my invention withthe rug nozzle in operativeposition and is taken on the line 1-1 of Fig.2;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but with thecleaning tool reversed so that the floor brush is in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing anotherembodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a stillfurther embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line66 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 6, but showing certainparts in a different position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, reference character 10designates the body member of a suction cleaning tool having a suctionthroat 12 of a rug nozzle on one face thereof and a suction throat 14 ofa floor brush on the opposite face. The rug nozzle inmust be somewhatgreater than the tool over this conduit is cludes a forward lip 16assignor to Electrolux 2, engages one of the notches 40,

- made thick enough to ice 2 and a rear lip 18 and end lips 20 ofsuitable configuration to contact a soft floor covering, such as a rugor carpet. The floor brush includes rows of bristles 22 which bound thethroat 14 and are suitable for cleaning a hardwood floor or any hardfloor covering.

Extending into the body 10 from the rear face thereof is a passageway 24having a rectangular cross-section,

the minor dimension of which extends vertically. An opening 26 connectsthroat 12 with this passageway, while an opening 28 connects throat 14with the passageway, the two openings being displaced with respect toeach other lengthwise of the passageway.

A suction conduit 30 has its forward end formed as a hollow rectangularvalve member 32 which is slidably mounted within the passageway 24. Thisvalve member is formed with aligned ports 34 and 36 adapted to cooperatewith the openings 26 and 28, respectively, in the body 10.

One of the surfaces of the rectangular portion of suction conduit 30 isprovided with a pair of notches 38 and 40 which are spaced apart adistance equal to the distance between the center lines of openings 26and 28. Pivotally mounted on the rear face of the body. 10 is a latchmember 42 which, in the position shown in Figs. 1 and but which may bepivoted in either direction so as to disengage the end thereof from thenotch.

The opposite end of conduit 30 is cylindrical and there is rotatablymounted therein the cylindrical end of an elbow 44 which is arranged toreceive the end of the usual suction wand connected to a source ofsuction in a vacuum cleaner.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that therug nozzle including the throat 12 between the lips 16 and 18 is incommunication with the interior of suction conduit 30 through theopening 26 and the port 34. Consequently, if suction is applied to theconduit 30 through the elbow 44, air will be caused to flow in thedirection of the arrows and this air will pick up and remove dirt fromthe rug or other surface over which the nozzle is moved. If it isdesired to use the tool under low furniture, the rigid wand connected tothe elbow 44 may be lowered to a position parallel with the floor byrotating the elbow with respect to the conduit 30, without in any mannerinterfering with the flow of. air. It will be noted that the verticalheight of the tool is only slightly greater than the diameter of thecylindrical part of the conduit 30 and is considerably lessthan would bethe case if the nozzle body 10 were embrace a cylindrical conduit havingsuch a diameter. conduit 30 which is received in the body 10 ofrectangular shape, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, it is possible tohave a minimum height of the body 10.

If it is desired to use the floor brush, the latch member 42 is pivotedin either direction sufliciently so as to disengage the end thereof fromnotch 40, and the suction conduit 30 is slid further into the passageway24 until the port 36 is aligned with the opening 28. In this position,the latch may be pivoted back so that its end engages the notch 38, thuslocking parts in this position. In order to bring the floor brush intocontact with the floor, the body 10 and the conduit 30 may then be r0-tated about the end of the elbow 44 so that the parts will occupy theposition shown in Fig. 3. In this position it will be seen that thethroat 14 of the floor brush is in communication with the suctionconduit 30 through the opening 28 and the port 36 and consequently theair drawn in through this path will pick up dust from the surface overwhich the floor brush is passed.

However, by having the end ofthe shown in the preceding figures, withthe exceptionthat the openings 26a and 28a in the nozzle body are inalignment with each other, while the ports 34a and 36a in the valveportion 32 are spaced from each other in the directionof movement of thevalve member. Thus, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, theport 36a is aligned with the opening 28a, thus connecting the floorbrush to the suction conduit. In order to connect the rug nozzle, thelatch 42 is pivoted, and the suction conduit 30 pulled outwardly untilthe latch may engage the notch 40, whereupon the port 34a will be inalignment with the opening 26a to the rug nozzle.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the nozzle body ismade of two parts a and 10b which are joined together by one or morescrews 50. The passageway 24 is formed entirely in the part 10b but isbounded on one side by a surface of the part 10a. A slot 52 is formed inthis surface of part 10a immediately adjacent to the passageway 24 and apin 54 extends from the valve member 32 and is slidable within the slot,thus limiting the displacement of the valve member in the passageway sothat the suction conduit 30 may not be entirely withdrawn.

Member 10b is formed with a slot 56 extending in from the side of thepassageway 24 and pivotally mounted therein is a lever 58 having anexterior handle portion 60. The inner end of the lever is formed as ahook 62 which extends around a pin 64 which is disposed vertically inone corner of the passageway 24 and serves as a fulcrum for the lever. Aspring 66 is disposed in the slot 56 behind the lever and urges thelatter against the side of the valve member 32. This lever carries aprojection 68 which, in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 6, isreceived within a notch 70 formed in the side of the valve 32. If thelever is pivoted in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6, the projec--tion 68 is withdrawn from the notch 70, thus permitting the valve member32 to be moved outwardly as far as is permittedby the pin 54 in thegroove 52, that is to the position shown in Fig. 7, in which positionthe projection 68 abuts against a shoulder 72 formed on the valvemember, thus holding it in this position. Incidentally, the cut-awayportion of the valve member which forms the shoulder 72, also provides aspace for receiving pin 64' when the valve member is in the positionshown in Fig. 6.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as that previouslydescribed, with the exception that the valve member is released formovement by pressing against the handle portion 60 of the lever 58,instead of by pivoting the latch member 42. An advantage of thisembodiment is that the spring 66 automatically reengages the projection68 with the valve member as soon as the latter reaches either of itsterminal positions, hence making it unnecessary for the operator to dothis.

While I have shown several more or less specific embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that this" has-- beendone for thepurpose of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is notto be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a suction cleaning tool,- a relatively rigid body member,dissimilar suction nozzles formed on opposite faces of saidmember, apassageway extending into said body member betweensaid faces and havinga rectangular cross-section with the minor dimension thereof disposednormal to said faces, a valve member having a corresponding rectangularcross-section slidably mounted in said'passageway for in and outmovement and formed with valve ports in the opposite wider sides towardsthe respective faces, said body member being formed with an opening fromeach suction nozzle to said passageway, said openings and valve portsbeing arranged with respect to-each other so that when one port isaligned with the cooperating opening the other port is out of alignment'with the other opening, latching means for securing the valveselectively in operative position with eithersuctionnozzle and a suctionconduit connection member rotatably mounted on said valve member influid communicationwith the interior thereof, the vertical distancebetweenthe exterior faces of said body member being of a minimal heightcommensurate with the vertical height at the attached conduit member inorder to introduce the tool into narrow openings, such as beneathfurniture or cabinets,

2'. In a suction cleaning tool, a body member, dissimilar suctionnozzles formed on opposite faces of said member, a passageway extendinginto said body member between said faces and having a rectangularcrosssection with. the minor dimension thereof disposed normal to-saidfaces, a valve member having a corresponding rectangular passagewayforin and out movement and formed with valve ports: in different sidesthereof, said body member being formed with an opening from each suctionnozzle to said passageway, said openings and ports being arranged withrespect to each other so that when one port is aligned with thecooperating opening the other port is out of alignment with the otheropening, and latching means. for securing said valve against slidingmovement in operative relation with either nozzle.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTScross-section slidably mounted in said that, ant.

